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Lily Quench #5
Lily Quench and the Magician's Pyramid
In a dense wilderness far to the north is a gigantic pyramid filled with secrets. It is home to three evil magicians who built the Eye sinister doorways in time that Lily Quench and Queen Dragon are determined to close off forever.
When Queen Dragon vanishes, Lily fights alone to uncover the pyramid’s mysteries. What is the dreadful truth behind the magicians’ unnaturally long lives? Who—or what—is being hidden inside the pyramid? And what has happened to Queen Dragon? Lily faces her most dangerous adventure yet.
When Queen Dragon vanishes, Lily fights alone to uncover the pyramid’s mysteries. What is the dreadful truth behind the magicians’ unnaturally long lives? Who—or what—is being hidden inside the pyramid? And what has happened to Queen Dragon? Lily faces her most dangerous adventure yet.
176 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 2003
59 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Jane Prior
76 books20 followersPrior was born in 1963 in Brisbane, Australia, where she also currently lives with her husband and daughter. Her first fiction book, 'The Amazing Adventures of Amabel', was published in 1990 and her internationally successful children's fantasy series, 'Lily Quench', has been published in more than twenty countries. Prior's work has been a finalist at the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards as well as being honoured and named as notable. Her work, 'Fireworks and Darkness', won the 2003 Davitt Awards for best young-adult novel and her work, 'Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor' won the 2003 Aurealis Award for best children's short fiction. She has also been nominated for an Aurealis Award on three other occasions for best short fiction, long fiction and young-adult novel.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 7, 2023
Rating: 5+ / 5
If Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor is the calm before the storm, then THIS, friends, is most definitely the storm.
In this book, I think that the timing and pacing of everything can almost be compared to "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back". On the one hand, you have the calmer, smaller-scale spy chase in Ashby that's leading up to something (similar to Luke's training sessions), and then on the other hand you have an all-out battle that gets resolved in this book, through which the heroes are victorious but sacrifices are also made (like the Leia/Han chase). The switching back and forth between the two definitely works in terms of timing, and overall this book itself works as a story in and of itself, as well as exposition to set up the last two books in the series.
Fresh off their adventures in the southern archipelago, Lily and Queen Dragon head to the Magician's Pyramids in the far northeast, seeking answers for how to destroy the eye stones. But, of course, this means confronting the magicians themselves, which is anything but easy. Additionally, this is the first book that I think has the greatest sense of immediate danger--though the previous books had that as well--because it's not Lily herself who's the target this time, but Queen Dragon whom the magicians are after. When the predator becomes the prey...yeah, things go awry, to say the least.
Still, it's easy to get drawn into the Ashby plot as well, especially since we need a bit of a relative break from the tension surrounding Lily's quest at the pyramids. Again, a lot is set up for the next book in the series, so I suppose it's off I go to that one!
If Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor is the calm before the storm, then THIS, friends, is most definitely the storm.
In this book, I think that the timing and pacing of everything can almost be compared to "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back". On the one hand, you have the calmer, smaller-scale spy chase in Ashby that's leading up to something (similar to Luke's training sessions), and then on the other hand you have an all-out battle that gets resolved in this book, through which the heroes are victorious but sacrifices are also made (like the Leia/Han chase). The switching back and forth between the two definitely works in terms of timing, and overall this book itself works as a story in and of itself, as well as exposition to set up the last two books in the series.
Fresh off their adventures in the southern archipelago, Lily and Queen Dragon head to the Magician's Pyramids in the far northeast, seeking answers for how to destroy the eye stones. But, of course, this means confronting the magicians themselves, which is anything but easy. Additionally, this is the first book that I think has the greatest sense of immediate danger--though the previous books had that as well--because it's not Lily herself who's the target this time, but Queen Dragon whom the magicians are after. When the predator becomes the prey...yeah, things go awry, to say the least.
Still, it's easy to get drawn into the Ashby plot as well, especially since we need a bit of a relative break from the tension surrounding Lily's quest at the pyramids. Again, a lot is set up for the next book in the series, so I suppose it's off I go to that one!
April 22, 2021
Fast-paced and good hearted adventure - the main protagonists are a girl and a dragon and the emphasis is inner strength rather than magic powers or appearance. So far so good.
There's a king and queen, but they are fairly down-to-earth and benevolent. They need wealth to look after their people. Idealised but I am ok with that. The dragon is also a queen and is missing her king.
There are some peculiar nonsensical things like the gold dress and Quin trying to enchant Lily into thinking she is her daughter. I am not sure how that fits the rest of the story. Seemed like the author had half an idea and did not develop it. The result however is that idea of the beautiful woman feeling "hollow" and "unfulfilled" without motherhood which is deeply problematic. It would need a bit of work to be turned to satirical ends (ie Quin pretending but really it's a mind-game) but there's a too fast solution to the problems.
Much of the book is also taken up with foreshadowing the next in the series which to me seems like taking continuity too far (or perhaps a cynical attempt to sell more books).
Overall it's not terrible. If my kids were still in primary school I'd potentially get them this series.
There's a king and queen, but they are fairly down-to-earth and benevolent. They need wealth to look after their people. Idealised but I am ok with that. The dragon is also a queen and is missing her king.
There are some peculiar nonsensical things like the gold dress and Quin trying to enchant Lily into thinking she is her daughter. I am not sure how that fits the rest of the story. Seemed like the author had half an idea and did not develop it. The result however is that idea of the beautiful woman feeling "hollow" and "unfulfilled" without motherhood which is deeply problematic. It would need a bit of work to be turned to satirical ends (ie Quin pretending but really it's a mind-game) but there's a too fast solution to the problems.
Much of the book is also taken up with foreshadowing the next in the series which to me seems like taking continuity too far (or perhaps a cynical attempt to sell more books).
Overall it's not terrible. If my kids were still in primary school I'd potentially get them this series.
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February 27, 2017The story's progressing, as expected as Lily ages. It was interesting, and surprisingly moving, and I despaired especially for Baba...
Like the last book, it had a bridge/lead into the next book, which is fine enough.
The Lily Quench series is more serious than I remembered, but still so capturing and I can't help storming through the whole thing.
Like the last book, it had a bridge/lead into the next book, which is fine enough.
The Lily Quench series is more serious than I remembered, but still so capturing and I can't help storming through the whole thing.
September 6, 2021
As far as creative fantasy adventures aimed at children or teenagers go, the Lily Quench series is honestly one of the best I had ever came across.
In this particular adventure ('The Magicians' Pyramid' is the fifth book in the Lily Quench series), Lily has to overcome the powerful and deceitful sorcery of three magicians who have entrapped her and Queen Dragon in their ghastly abode of dark pyramids. There are a lot of fantastical and magic elements in this book which is sure to enthrall all of its readers but there is also a sense of danger for poor Lily and her home kingdom of Ashby which helps to keep things entertaining and interesting.
This book is as lively as it imaginative and is sure to be a great investment as everyone would want to read the rest of Lily Quench's wonderful adventures!
In this particular adventure ('The Magicians' Pyramid' is the fifth book in the Lily Quench series), Lily has to overcome the powerful and deceitful sorcery of three magicians who have entrapped her and Queen Dragon in their ghastly abode of dark pyramids. There are a lot of fantastical and magic elements in this book which is sure to enthrall all of its readers but there is also a sense of danger for poor Lily and her home kingdom of Ashby which helps to keep things entertaining and interesting.
This book is as lively as it imaginative and is sure to be a great investment as everyone would want to read the rest of Lily Quench's wonderful adventures!
January 29, 2021
This is number 5 of a series. You need to have read the previous books to truly understand it. I haven’t so some bits were confusing. I’m don’t know if all my confusion was due to this or if some was due to the speed of the plot. Some bits just seemed rushed. It was reasonably well written, though remarkably dark and violent for for a book aimed at children. The main reason I am giving it two stars as one of the two plots has absolutely no resolution in this book at all. It is purely set up to make you read the next book. Given over a third of the book is devoted to this plot this is unacceptable even in a series.
May 13, 2017
it got better it knew wear it was going in the story line to keep me reading
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews